This Car Ruined My Day and The Owner's Day | The $2500 Candy

[@doxazo6202]

Thanks Ahmed for fixing my car right. I've been reading all the comments from folks all around the world and appreciate all the encouragement and kind suggestions. From epoxy fixes, used junkyard parts, self tapping screws, to locking the air to windshield and foot positions are all excellent possibilities for saving money that I would not have thought of. One suggestion, "no eating in the car", is probably the best, but hardly possible in our case. We take long trips in our cars and food is the easiest to help stay awake - lol!! Having said that, Ahmed was very kind when he called me to break the news and to be honest, I kind of half expected the news. I had seen him doing the same fix on a lexus and I decided I'd rather have him work on the car than the dealer. The car has 165K miles on it and hopefully with this fix, it will last me several years more. Although its sad to spend so much on a car that is probably not worth the expense, I have saved a lot in the past 15 years or so by doing all the maintenance on the car myself. One way to justify this unfortunate expense, right? This particular job is something I could not have done, so I thank God that Ahmed is only 6 hour drive from my place and only 2 hours from my daughters place. I can plan to get work done on my Toyotas on the way to my daughters place. I'm sure everyone facing similar unforeseen car repair expenses has their own way of resolving them based on their circumstances and my prayer is that each one gets the right assistance and wisdom to not only handle that with peace but also have a good supporting community like this channel and of course, a fantastic mechanic like Ahmed. "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." James 1:5

[@janis8726]

Just a quick question. Why junkyard parts where not an option? Is it still expensive or super time consuming to offset service expenses un the States?

[@44zapata]

Your car should last at least 300,000 miles easy if you maintain it properly, so I think this was worth the price. It looks in real good shape, don’t think about it much; you had the best mechanic this side of the Universe work on it and it could have been a lot worse if you had taken it to a dealer or another mechanic.

[@44zapata]

@@janis8726sometimes cars like this are not found in junk yards and if one winds up in there, it is quickly dismantled for parts and by the time you get there all the good parts are gone.

[@janis8726]

@@44zapata Thats reasonable, just feels like such a rarely used part might have left somewhere in the junkyard. Obviously specifics of the location are important , and of course time spent on that endeavor. Happy to see that good car is being taken care of nevertheless.

[@Despicable909]

@@doxazo6202 it’s a blessing to see the end user actually commenting on the video about their vehicle. There are many other mechanics that are more concerned with the views and bragging about how they fixed their customers car in a few hours but still charged them the book time. Just another reason why people have a hard time finding good mechanics like Ahmed. A lot of us who watch his channel are diyers but it’s good to know when you’ve reached your limits, definitely not trying this job myself without a step by step set of instructions. Having a good mechanic is worth its weight in gold these days.

[@beefeekeefee]

I was at the local Toyota dealership to grab a couple of OEM oil filters for my Rav4. The customer ahead of me in line was a sweet little old lady, dressed to the hilt for lunch/ shopping and she explained that she needed a tail light lens for her own Rav4 as hers was cracked. The parts guy looked up the part and told her that the light came as a unit, and it would cost $645. There was a pause and then she said, "you're sh*tting me..." I almost spit out my coffee.

[@douglaslippertindy]

This is great.

[@arthouston7361]

That's when you start calling the yards.....

[@DJG37S]

Buying parts at the stealership is the worst thing you can do. There are online shops like rock auto who will sell oem parts for much cheaper.

[@fuze3522]

toyota overcharges the crap out of parts. they were selling TPMS sensors for $120 a pop for my car. I bought 4 OEM brand new ones for under $60 off EBAY. Ridiculous. Toyota maitnance is wild, just glad they dont break down much

[@b4804514]

Hey try the Mercedes parts dept. or not........

[@johnkirkilis34]

A true Mechanic that really cares for his customers.

[@vitolazlo5767]

I love the guy but he's going over board. That part can be gotten from some salvage yard or he can epoxy it and send them on their way.The whole vehicle is not worth 2500. It's a joke. I still love the guy.

[@RustyZipper]

Yeah for $2500 I would have used some 2 part epoxy and taken the risk. I mean I fixed my mother’s antique ceramic birdbath that got broken into no less than 50 pieces 4 years ago. Been holding up just fine, outside 24/7 9 months a year holding water. So yeah, pretty sure it’ll hold some clean plastic together….

[@Stanjara]

I really have to disagree on this one. That unit costs as much as the whole car.

[@gnawty4662]

“No eating in the car.” I get it now

[@bricekoirokpi9954]

No more Candy

[@pedlpower]

yup. now i have one more reason to ban eating in my car. 1. stains & mess, 2. it stinks, 3, dangerous when driving, 3. attracts critters and bugs, 4. breaks the HVAC

[@joelawrence56]

kiwi working in Australia here...had to completely disassemble my Toyota HiAce HVAC system after snake wound it's way in... couldn't get out so began to rot!...oohh the stink!!!

[@ronchappel4812]

Ive had a similar deal with mice.Chasing them away didnt help because they left babies behind😡. Since then i put fine metal mesh over the vent intakes on every car i own!Never again

[@mikechiodetti4482]

Before retirement I used to see pencils, pens, paperclips, even small tools in the defrost ducts. Didn't have to remove dash to get them, but I warned driver NOT to put any thing up on the dash because of where it goes. Thank you for this reminder and this video.

[@RKELLY79]

Looks like a raisonette

[@2ndAmendment-Jeffrey]

​@RKELLY79 way to small to be that.

[@GixxerRider1991]

It's amazing that people end up jamming their hvac box servos because they're too lazy to clean out their glove boxes and center consoles, where things like those are supposed to be stored. When I was a tech, a clean car was a rare sight. Most people seem to treat their vehicles with some combination of carelessness and contempt.

[@6142bucky]

And those little air freshener sticks that clip on the vent but they go about 3 inches in the vent, disaster waiting to happen

[@maciejmalinowski810]

Hey. I'm from Poland and I watch all Your videos with interest. They are great. I have two Lexuses (NX and UX) and I service them myself. Besides, You have a great accent, You speak very clearly and You are very pleasant to listen to

[@chrisczarnik3439]

Zgadzam się 100%. Ahmed jest wspaniałym mechanikiem. Z Australii🇦🇺🇵🇱👍

[@guzziwheeler]

I agree, Ahmed speaks very clear. As a non-native english speaker, I can easily follow him, even if I watch the video at speed x 1,5.

[@mal3f0rv59]

Stuff like this is why I have a 3d printer for plastic repairs on my personal stuff. Ive haven't hardly bought plastic parts for ages, and I can control part quality. Its too bad this isnt really a fesible option for a shop doing business. Best wishes to you and the customer.

[@styledliving]

Even could probably pay someone to scan it, clean up the model, and get it printed out for less than 500. Probably use a CF reinforced filament or even SLM option.

[@mal3f0rv59]

@styledliving That would be another option if you couldn't find another at a scrap yard or if you are short printer. Tricky part is the professional business aspect. You could 3D print, or repair the old one, but the risk of liability and proper repair is the real kicker. Don't want customers coming back to pay more to fix the issue again. OEM Toyota parts = usually 1 fix and done.

[@styledliving]

@@mal3f0rv59 yeah that's a good point, but this isn't a part that's related to safety and if CCNC were to do it himself, then it'd cost maybe a few hrs of labor. But if he decided to get in on this parts manufacturing business himself and build a catalog of replacement parts that no longer exist or are too expensive to purchase alone, he could make a fortune. just think about the LS project. i mean if 3d printing isn't great, you can actually cnc the forms and do custom injection molding. is it specialized work? yep. is it difficult to learn? it wasn't in high school, it's not today.

[@40Calibers]

I’m a first time Toyota buyer and all the information I have learned from you is priceless to me. I am so happy there is a certified technician like you that is honest and very knowledgeable.

[@trublu2nu]

Hello, I just saw this video and I have the exact same vehicle and it has the same problem. What we do manually fix the defrost vent open all the time and then we manually change the floor/upper vent per the season... upper vent in the summer and floor in the winter. There is enough room to set the floor/upper vent mode manually pretty easy. Just drop the glove box (completely out) and then reach up in there with the right hand to turn the vent control flapper. Takes just a few minutes to change it manually. I know this isn't the ideal solution but it works and it doesn't cost any $$$. Only other options is like you said get another box for $2500 plus labor or get another vehicle. Hope this helps ;)

[@billiebobbienorton2556]

Cool! Great idea! Beats $2,500 in parts plus labor ! ! ! !

[@bwoo2828]

Agreed on your solution. Car isn't worth the cost of parts and labor, but perfectly usable and reliable. So worse case is just leave it in defrost, even in the summer. AC won't be as comfortable, but so be it on an 18 year old RAV4.

[@KevJ1247]

Call a vocational High school or an Automotive Technical college and ask for an appointment.

[@sz1404]

Great solution. Age of car. Your wallet has to be considered

[@Payt-y5d]

I've been doing that with my hot cold blend door for years

[@nevv8581]

That’s a “Whopper” of a repair bill. Really feel bad for the owner. Thanks for sharing and the advice.

[@hotpuppy1]

I assume that is $2500 in ADDITION to the labor for pulling it all apart.

[@christopherkidwell9817]

Bad design of the vents. In a properly functional system, you should not be able to drop ANYTHING in the vents and break a plastic piece like that. Honestly... when I was a kid? I did not even when I was a toddler drop something into the vents of my deceased parents cars and break anything. In fact, my parents had properly told me "Don't stick anything into a hole in the vehicle without my permission!" I actually listened to them on that subject.

[@din9lebeRrY]

I see what you did there 😅

[@philipparana9225]

Who would spend that kind of money on a 18 year old car

[@OK247OK]

I hope AMD does the customer a SWEET deal

[@MrGrumpy1]

Two words: Junkyard part. Either that or use Krazy Glue (or JB Weld) on that shaft. Set the air gates to blow on the windshield so the defrost will work if the shaft breaks again. Tell the customer to leave it on "defrost" whenever possible to minimize the number of gate movements. Most of the time we don't need air from the center vents or feet. You'll feel the air from the top vents. A little inconvenience can save a lot of money.

[@dirtyjersey4672]

Exactly!

[@thomasjensen5237]

Welcome to Texas where You need face for a/c. And defrost when it rains in between 105 daily highs

[@psyberiusblack]

Fine for a DIY fix. Not really fine for a shop fix.

[@MrGrumpy1]

@@thomasjensen5237 For sure. We don't know where the car owner lives.

[@bradbrown7555]

Unregistrable in VA as state inspection requires a working A/C system (face, feet, defrost).

[@nancyingram966]

I applaud your integrity!! Doing it right. Folks, watch your kids.

[@Wavelover33]

I can’t believe you put this in video. My 2105 rav4 was a victim of my young son’s candies a few years ago. I was quoted up to $5000 to fix it as it’s a complete dash removal. Fortunately there is a video - search “2015 rav4 removing the dash” - and I did it myself with this amazing video. Twice actually, as there was more candy I didn’t find. Big job. I had to label everything very carefully. I’m pretty handy so it wasn’t too bad. Oddly enough the most frustrating part was figuring out how to disconnect all the electrical couplers as each one was different. Fortunately it wasn’t broken just needed to clean the slider. The candy had melted on it

[@brucecooley4170]

The myriad of electrical connectors are the curse of DIY!

[@COVID-cm4rn]

You have INTEGRITY and HONESTY which is the best traits a mechanic and person can have.

[@davidvalletta2755]

Today of all days i have to say Ahmed is the best. Combination of Toyota specialist and person. This guy cares. He cares as much about his reputation, the car and the customer/cost. I have a 2011 v6 awd venza with 230k km, that I was planning on getting to 15 years and 300k km, and I trusted the dealer. I do a lot of things myself or with the help of a retired mechanic neighbour. But when things get beyond my ability I go to the dealer expecting a proper diagnostic. I don’t expect Ahmed’s customer compassion, but I expect the correct diag. Spending thousands and not solving the issue is frustrating and I do not want to think I was taken. This is the day when I wish I lived close to Chicago!

[@wallebo]

You should have no problem getting to 300k km (186,411 miles) with proper preventative maintenance. My 1989 Honda Crx HF has over 385,000 miles (not km) and I have never had it in the shop. It is a daily driver and I just got back from Vancouver, Canada which is well over 6,000 miles roundtrip. It performed flawlessly. I don't even take tools with me. I am not a mechanic but can read and follow simple instructions. I don't want a new car as there is nothing wrong with the old one.

[@davidvalletta2755]

I’ve done everything maintenance that is in the manual. I asked the dealer to price a transmission fluid change. They said it wasn’t needed. I have a shutter at around 40 mph. Dealer changed the viscous coupler. 4K cdn. Changed the drive shaft. 1.5k cdn. I suspect my issue is torque converter. Keep maintaining that ‘89. A lot less to go wrong with an ‘89. I have a 92 ford ranger. I love working on that truck. So much simpler.

[@jkk244]

I really miss the days of a typical Japanese car’s HVAC system controlled only a couple of slid knobs moving cables and rods inside the dash. No servos, blend doors, motors, etc. everything worked so much better when it was simple.

[@cowsgoloka]

We everything auto, things becomes complex. Even the window glass up and down

[@tipsovr2626]

I wish your shop was in my local area. It would be wonderful to have a trustworthy mechanic who is also willing to effectively explain issues. Good for you sir! That is why I subscribe.

[@tomdixon1213]

My 2015 Toyota Corolla has the exact same issue with its hvac box, minus the candy jamming the doors. Fortunately for me I still get heat on the floor in the winter. The blessing for me is this video, which helps me to see the wisdom of just living with it. Thank you also for telling me the name of the part, the hvac box and condensor. I will only fix it if I win the lottery.

[@evoman44]

Another alternative is to get a used one from the salvage yard or from someone that is parting out a Corolla on FB marketplace.

[@wpherigo1]

Good point

[@michaelwillis1440]

My father in law has this exact RAV4 he uses in Mexico when he goes to a vacation home. We went to the junkyard and got one. It was basically impossible to get while we were there. Took two days to disassemble and reassemble but works great. Now I know that isn't a perfect repair but worked great for the last 3 years.

[@los3627]

Wow! I worked in a small shop and we did heating and AC work on all types of cars. I could tell you some stories of what I found inside some HVAC system. From large amounts of cash and all kinds of expensive jewelry. From American to European and Japanese. Boy I miss working on all those cars. Thanx for sharing this great bit of knowledge. I'm a grump when it comes to eating in cars. We Never had cup holders in our cars.

[@davidhori4899]

Another educational video! Great to see whats behind the dash and just how much stuff is crammed in there. Also, a glimpse of the parts system (Have to replace the ENTIRE thing. Only eight available in the US at the time, etc). And of course, a great reminder to not throw items on top of your dash. I do feel bad for the owner, but I'm grateful for the education. Thank you, again.

[@onebridge7231]

Junkyard should have this part available.

[@Sintheticlikwid]

Yup, I just checked there’s plenty of rav4 within 20 miles of his shop

[@peterwilding1203]

But would he install a used part?

[@powerplayer75]

​@peterwilding1203 i bet the customer would prefer it when the other option is $2000

[@Laphoot]

with a fraction of the cost. They wouldn't sell that part quite often not even 2% ig. You have a biigggg rooom to bargain.

[@Sintheticlikwid]

@@peterwilding1203 He could only buy the part he needs and not the whole unit. He said everything else works

[@zmotorsports62]

I've seen similar issues like this far too much with blend doors/mechanisms, but I don't particularly care for interior work for this reason. Be thankful you have some extra space and go on to another project. My shop is only 3k square feet and I work by appointment only so when I have unplanned parts delays it REALLY screws with my schedule and work flow.

[@RiDankulous]

Great observation from an expert in the field thank you. I didn’t watch the whole video but I just wonder how many hours he put into taking all that stuff apart just for a diagnosis. I can see the predicament being very costly to repair shop.

[@Jar-i2f]

Hello from Scotland. Top class content as usual. Thank you.

[@stanleystrycharz2572]

I see mice bring acorns into Rav-4's HVAC units all the time. That ends badly too. Toyota needs to screen off the HVAC outside air intake to keep the mice out. I do that for many customers and its not a hard modification. Great video as always.

[@e.r.videography6209]

Can you make a video of that?

[@stanleystrycharz2572]

@e.r.videography6209 I don't make videos but the process is, remove the wipers, remove the plastic cowling at the bottom of the windshield. You will see the HVAC air intake. Use hardware screen and form a cover for it. Then use some short screws to attach it, being careful not to screw into anything important, just the sheet metal around the firewall. Then reassemble. I do the same for Corollas too. I don't know why but mice love going into the chamber where the cabin filter is on Toyotas.

[@Holyheart1]

Just imagine if you took this to a Toyota dealer to get this figured out and fixed it would nerve get done this guy is the best .

[@08turboSS]

Sadly in this case a dlr would have just found and swapped out the HVAC box.

[@nyccollin]

Yes it would get done. They’d replace the whole thing.

[@Holyheart1]

I don't think they're smart enough to figure it out

[@senco981]

Broken plastic piece job would cost you around $5k, more than car is worth.

[@Ratlins9]

@@Holyheart1Spot on. Either not smart enough or honest enough.

[@ronmathis2719]

Had the pleasure of fishing out an engagement ring without any damage to the ring or hvac box. Made no promises to the customer just told her I would do my best

[@blackGRC]

If this was my car I was working on I would buy a used part but since you're a shop I can see why you would want something new

[@Krakondack]

My thought exactly. A scrapyard part or assembly would seem to be just the ticket.

[@Mac-t4y]

Then who is going to pay for the labor if the used part is not working.

[@blackGRC]

@@Mac-t4y if it's my cat and I'm working on it, it'd be doing the labor x2 😂

[@AlvinBrinson]

​​@@Mac-t4y It's gears and levers. They can verify it is working before reassembly or only use the pieces they need to repair the current box properly.

[@HypocriticYT]

Have to warranty the labor and parts, used just doesn’t work

[@stephenhenry2914]

Reminds me of the scene in Tommy Boy when all his peanut M&Ms spill out into the dash 😂

[@RiDankulous]

Time for me to google I sorta like that movie

[@JoeThomas-tk3jz]

*Your* brain has a hard candy shell.

[@kevinwall6497]

That's immediately what I thought of too!

[@TedsHoldOver]

@@JoeThomas-tk3jz You're...you're brain has the...shell on it.

[@RoMiTouring]

Hello from Australia… I have a friend whose son used the CD player for a money box! 😮

[@JamesLee-oe7mt]

Me...I did that. And goldfish crackers in the VCR. No idea why

[@shiloh5199]

We have to find the WHY. Damn candy drops!!

[@bobschlotterfishing2678]

When i was a kid... 40+ years ago, i some how threw a pretzel stick at my moms windshield... it wound up in the defrost duct... HAHA for years you could hear it rolling around every time she turned it on.

[@ericharrison619]

The local salvage yards in the Chicagoland area have more than a few Rav4s that no longer need their fully functioning HVAC boxes. No, It's not the Master Tech. recommended repair but it would be a nice option to have. Great video as always.

[@jimrusch22]

Spot on, this is the best solution for this situation

[@davidlampe4153]

Only two problems with the junkyard parts no guarantee of working beyond a week or more. The labor cost of removing and replace if it breaks again in 6 months.

[@toninocars]

Oh boy things happen. My girls when were young kids did put coins into the radio cassette player thinking it was one of these cars for children at fairs where you put money and they start moving 😅 Later we drove off and the radio caught fire . Hahaha we saved the car and ourselves but a memory we never forget

[@ZeroStatic]

I really appreciate your honesty and integrity, a shining light in these times. ❤❤❤👍

[@ronlind1757]

Vehicle age.. 2007, I would do a salvage yard, or possibly a Dorman part. Your shop being professional though.. I understand your position. Great video.

[@TheMajorLeagueGinger]

I would just live with face only operation

[@Misiracaltudamecekas-qw8xo]

that applies only on american made vehicles

[@wespotter6985]

No part warranty.

[@singplumb]

I was thinking salvage yard too. It is a 2007. That is some pretty expensive candy. I drive a much newer vehicle, 2008 Tundra.😊

[@TimSpacek]

My 2004 4Runner radio is wonky, that’s it in 245k miles!

[@TheOfficialNakatsuMegami]

A piece of Candy Totaled the Vehicle. Outstanding. No Screens, grills or anything prevent ingress. Nice Job Toyoda.

[@jeremycarter]

A man of integrity! I JUST read in my devotional this morning, "No deviation from strict integrity can meet God's approval." THAT hit me hard! How many little things am I deviating from that is causing me to have strict integrity, therefore not meeting God's approval? Kudos to you for being honest with all that you do. May the good Lord keep you safe and continue to bless you!

[@MrVsbt1]

Since you were thinking of fixing that shaft and gear mechanism why not Sus out a junk yard you could probably get the whole box for a couple of hundred and just take out parts that is good. Love your videos keep up the good work 👍

[@JoeJoe-f6g]

3d printer would come in handy.

[@t3mpl3tw3]

Any mechanic that shares your bad day is a keeper. Most would have a big smile and be happy to charge you more money.

[@patrickhennessy4159]

Hey Car Care Nut, do you think you could ever put together a video of past repairs you had of cars you misdiagnosed or took you forever to figure out? I love your stuff and think it would be interesting to see times where even you were completely stumped.

[@kf5hcr176]

This is an honorable man .

[@thepokerpilotapp]

There should be a mesh screen inside the vents to reduce the risk of this from happening.

[@1989pulsar]

Don't eat candy or food in your vehicle. Then that wouldn't happen.

[@thepokerpilotapp]

@@1989pulsar it’s just not for food and candy my friend. It can be anything.

My first thoughts. They could put some screens there and it wouldn't hurt the air flow that much

[@glenmoss02]

@thepokerpilotapp What?! Why, that's crazy talk. It's easier for Toyota and all of them, for that matter, to sell you a big plastic box with one or two servos for $2500. 😅

[@thepokerpilotapp]

@@glenmoss02 so buy the damn $2500 assembly for the guy if it isn’t a big deal to you. Man Up!

[@FEETLE]

Owner of the rav4 ... were sorry about the situation .... your car is in possession of the most respectable shop currently on you tube. Amd is going to do it right and "life will be good again". This video will save folks like my cousin and many owners of the Rav 4 to not repeat the unfortunate situation you're going through.

[@AW-xz9vc]

My son does 3D printing. You can get heavy duty plastics for 3D printing. There are programs where you can take a picture of what you are wanting to print. That would be a 4-Hour print for that part. It would totally be worth the $2,000 setup for 3D printing, along with online tutorials to learn how to do it. Once the word got out your shop would make Bank like no tomorrow. My son makes a lot of his own Auto and computer parts.

[@theredscourge]

Yeah but 3D printing has only existed for like 10 years, so how long is the printed part going to last?

[@MetaView7]

Yes, 3D printing can fix it.

[@Kent__the_Baker]

SpaceX 3D prints their Raptor rocket engines, They appear to be pretty robust.

[@kendom33]

Great idea

[@theredscourge]

@@Kent__the_Baker They're not using a $300 consumer printer, they're using something closer to a CNC machine.

[@aasbcc]

I was lucky so far, never had to go under the dash plastics. But knowing the complexity of everything inside this cramped space, I'm afraid even to think about it. But I know the feeling in a stomach when you've done complicated and labour intensive repair (for DIY mechanic) to suddenly realize, that you've done something wrong and you have to start all over again! Or even worse, you did more damage than it was originally. Years ago I dumped my old beater after replacing a starter, which was alone, due the location, a heck of a job, and only because I accidentally damaged one of the coolant hoses in between the firewall and the engine. I was driving to work next morning, when that hose cracked and leaked all the coolant right on the top of exhaust pipe. I've never been embarrassed more in my life while driving. After work I made it even back to my garage, twice stopping and poring water in the cooling system. Mentally I was absolutely broken and in 3 weeks just dumped it after 13 years of driving it every day. the car was 23 years old... That is why, Ahmed, I totally feel your disappointment... By the way, a few times in the similar situations, I just installed the used parts instead. It's a gamble a bit, but a viable solution for an older car... May be not in your case though...

[@billiebobbienorton2556]

YUP ! ! !

[@dnscud1]

Love the show. I also blame the manufacturers for not putting a simple screen in the opening. Air doesn’t need a gaping hole.

[@Arthur-sz7uf]

Very sad story.! And very informative video. Thanks again !!

[@09baher]

Very heart breaking. Prayers and support to you and the dear customer. God Bless!

[@KevJ1247]

Prayers? It's car repair.

[@theredscourge]

This sounds like a situation where a junkyard part is worth trying.

[@noahadim]

As a mechanic business owner i sympathize, parts have been a nightmare in price, if whatever you need is even available.

[@emadtalo9194]

You’re super talented and experienced with a very kind heart for your customers!! However, I just can’t understand why you won’t be able to use an OEM used part that I am pretty sure it won’t be more than $500, of course, with customer’s agreement and most of the times the customer can easily get the part from junkyards. Things like that are fine to be replaced with OEM used ones , it’s not like a strut, axle, engine compartments, fuel pump/housing, or etc .. the HVAC can last forever pretty much.. Thank you so much for sharing your experience here for us!!

[@Laphoot]

IKR!. these parts won't get sold often, either let it go with a reasoanble amount customer offer or let it rot in the car for nothing. It's just a silly idea to go with the Brand New OE part, esp for this old model. And that $2500 is for party only, without labor. SMH.

[@johnrose3169]

The problem with used parts in this scenario is labor warranty. If a used part is used for a repair, there is no labor warranty. If the customer spends $500.00 for a used HVAC box, and then spends $700-$1200 on labor (labor may actually be more than that), and the used part fails, you are back at square one and have to pay again to fix the problem. Used parts and aftermarket parts are not bad, however when it comes to labor intensive repairs, OEM parts are a better value/choice due to it being a new OEM part, and if there are any issues/defects, the part and labor is warranted.

[@SouthsideKidd550]

IMO, Any and everyone who owns a Toyota or Lexus should subscribe to this man's channel. Ahmed is just too good of a Toyota/Lexus Specialist. Got me saving money right now so that I can set an appointment for him to do the 50,000 mile service on my 2024 Corolla Hybrid LE. I am planning and willing to make the drive from Atlanta to Chicago. Thats how good Ahmed is with Toyotas. Thanks again Ahmed, Jose' and the TCCN team for awesome videos.😊

[@gadsdenconsulting7126]

JB Weld the broken part and you're all set.

[@markrunyon5524]

He"s a professional,how could he stand by that!

[@gadsdenconsulting7126]

@markrunyon5524 Yes I know. It's what I would do before I spent $2500 on the part.

[@markrunyon5524]

@@gadsdenconsulting7126 I get it.

[@sc3ku]

5:00 Explorers/Rangers doors do break on their own. Gear strips on the door and won’t turn. Have to pull the dash and replace the whole unit like this. Had it happen on an 01 Sport Trac and 98 Mazda B2500

[@d.davis2009]

your the man. Love your channel and your personality, and knowledge

[@K-do8xv]

Now I want to hear conversation between the owner and service advisor, when the bad news was delivered. Must be something I can learn from

[@mkrp4]

Junk yard is the place to get the separate small part from big assembly

[@luisangeltrinidad5666]

Im no a mechanic but i love your videos, keep them coming, cheers guys!

[@seanm2216]

What about a used box?

[@sandybeachsean6880]

No warranty for a used box. Also his type of shop would not use used parts to replace the problematic part.

[@seanm2216]

@sandybeachsean6880 maybe, maybe not if the customer wanted it.

[@uneetudiant]

Your a great educator my friend ,thanks for your calm spirit ,I bet your kids will grow up so spiritual ,Bravo to sir. I just a new 2025 Rav 4 ,needed to buy winter tires and rims ,when they told me the price I walked out . Found a set on market place used for 1 winter ,payed 1/2 the price. A friend of mine works at a dealer and the stories he tells me about up selling and scamming is terrible,never buy at the dealer,get your car and leave,even the oil changes pricey and they take hours to do ,I go to drive thru oil changers ,in and out in 15 minutes for half. Cheers and blessing to all.

[@solstar4778]

Some thing to think about - plastic parts either go to used part market- or 3-D printing of part with a computer program to create the part needed and not a Dealer supplied part $2,500 unit parts but a plastic nut or bolt etc. you made maybe in a different color plastic, something to think about cost to you ,pennies not thousands of dollars from a dealer and if you don’t want to do it, find a person who will do that for you or any others and contract them, just a thought 🤔

[@KiwiCatherineJemma]

I was just gonna say, but... Someone else already suggested... just setting the air directors up to one setting and leaving it. For years I drove a 1980's Honda City convertible. Their HVAC design would ONLY direct either AC refrigerated, or outside fresh air, to the face. It was designed to NOT EVER send hot air to the face. Hot air being to the feet or windscreen defrost/demist only. (I'm guessing it was a "don't make the driver sleepy" safety feature). Note I now have a European convertible and the HVAC system does have the option of sending heated air to the face/steering wheel level vents. And that is useful, mostly in a convertible, because I can it drive with the roof full open, during dry cold weather in Winter, with the heater belting out hot air onto my face and hands through the directable mid level vents. But if my blend doors went bung, I'd just set it to 50/50 feet/windscreen and leave it at that. US $2,500. (that's about NZ $ 4,500) just to send hot air to the face. Bugger that for a lark. That's the price of a whole car.

[@ducthman4737]

👍

[@mrbrent4]

Glue the broken piece together and have it 3d scanned and then 3d print a new piece

[@CORVAIRWILD]

My father always had problems with his 70s 80s Cadillacs, from dropping coins or a paper clip in his lighter socket

[@marklundeberg7006]

Oh man, so engineers had to learn the hard way that vertical lighter sockets are a bad idea? 😂

[@marksrepairj623]

I've been digging your videos lately man I've learned a ton from you I appreciate all the information you put out

[@damirzanne]

eBay is your best friend when it comes to car parts

[@ComenzandoBien]

Very helpful information! Because of my work, I use a lot of Staples... I'm going to be very careful now

[@brucemartin556]

My 1972 Landcruiser had manually operated vent doors if I remember correctly. Perhaps we should return to those simpler days in the case of a basic vehicle.

[@mikekares-b8q]

In my 70s love those good old days.

[@hotpuppy1]

Never happen.

[@wilbilt]

My 1971 GMC has manual kick panel vents, but you never know what is going to come out of them when you open them on the road. One time, it was a bunch of angry wasps. Just saying.

[@theoriginaljimmykicker]

My Scion xB has manual controls for the HVAC. Love that. They still had them in 2015 when the last ones rolled out.

[@missyroades4533]

There was a marble rolling around in my 2011 Camry when I bought it in 2013. Thankfully they figured it out and were able to remove it before it broke anything. It was from an Air and Space Museum in Cape Canaveral!

[@Idtelos]

This is where a quality 3d scanner, 3d printer along with your fav. cad software and 3d slicer programs comes in handy....

[@stefk4862]

Sure, if you had the experience, time, and hopefully the strength of material. Imo, not worth it. Maybe for a home mechanic, but even still, it is a lot of work to remove the whole unit

[@nyccollin]

Too much trouble for the average person.

[@Changeitup828]

Someone has to be making 3d printed parts…

[@9fa4108f]

I've never touched a 3D printed part but from the videos I've seen they all look very brittle

[@generessler6282]

Not practical at all for a shop unless Toyota supports with specs and cad models. Some day maybe.

[@whoguy4231]

Just looking at that dash makes me feel ill ... Props to your shop for taking the time and effort to fix it 👍

[@rwun283]

Good to know. Ours is almost identical.

[@lastvestiges]

Having to rip the dashboard out for that reminds me of my grandfather's '73 Celica GT when the radio died. A friend told him it'd be easier to roll the car on it's roof and replace the radio through the firewall side underneath

[@harrisonbergeron9764]

That looks like "Old" people hard candy. Going to have to go all Driving Ms. Daisy from now on.

[@Reubachi]

It’s a whopper, not far off from hard candy in terms of “not very good”

[@mxkcrm]

@@Reubachi I think it's the caramel version "Mr Duds".. Whoppers have some sort of waffle inside

[@joesommar]

Mechanics refusal to replace rather than repair components is regrettable. Just like metal welded together is stronger than the original part, plastic pieces “epoxy repaired” can be stronger than the original part. You missed a chance to save your customer a lot of money. Been there done that many, many times. Sometimes the cheap way is the best way. This is why I I never let anyone work on my car.

[@johnrose3169]

In a professional repair shop environment, you are not doing anyone a favor doing that. This customer lives a long way away from the shop. If anything goes wrong with the "epoxy repair", they are not going to be happy they spent a ton of money on labor on a repair that didn't work, the repair has no warranty, and even if AMD wanted to help them in some way, they would have to drive a long way back to his shop. Doing this type of repair on your own car on your own time - knock yourself out.

[@Dutchy-1168]

Wow !!!!! Darn kids throwing candies !!!

[@docyt]

A few people below have commented about creating your own 3D printed part. I doubt it will happen since car companies like planned obsolescence, but it would be cool in the future if the car companies could put own stl files so you could print the parts into the future.

[@shawnacevedo8842]

note to self, kids go to the backseat with no air vent, no exception!

[@jdthood]

He actually does not know whose candy it was so he should not even speculate about who is responsible.

[@tajrice5398]

My family especially my grandmother does not allow anyone eat in her car, only water... shes got a 2009 Malibu she bought brand new, it still looks brand new 16 years later

[@GixxerRider1991]

Yup. A lot of people seem to want to blame a car manufacturer for their own carelessness.

[@MrFarmer2345]

You know they will just chuck there candy from the back seat!!!😂😂😂😂

[@giatrelos]

Just wanna add my 2cents to the problem. Taking into account that you have identified the parts that are broken and the fact that if you had spare parts of those a fix would be possible, why not send the broken parts for 3d scanning and printing? There must be many shops in the state providing this service and the total cost should be much less that $2500. The parts can also be printed as ABS plastic (same material that the original part is). This is an ideal case scenario for 3d printing...

[@GruvisMutt]

That looks more like nylon than ABS to me. This is a moving part. Why would someone trust a 3D printed part when they can have the original part in 10 days?

[@chadh3441]

3d printed parts can easily surpass the quality and durability of factory made parts. There are plenty of filament types to choose from. A few hours spent printing the part and you're done. The price would be close to nothing if you already have the printer. Regardless, anyone can get started in 3d printing for less than $400, which is much less than $2500. Cheers

[@GruvisMutt]

@chadh3441 not worth the risk of having to tear it down again if the part can be purchased, like I said. Only a fool would warranty an untested part with so much labor needed to install.

[@PaulyDownUnder]

What about buying from a car wrecker? Buying a second hand one that works might be an option.

[@jcos55chev19]

This is where you go to a junk yard and get what you need.

[@hanko5750]

Gotta agree with so many others posting. Its a brave new world .. 3D prints are everywhere and can make just about anything.

[@KrazyKramer]

Maybe a strong flexible vacuum is a good idea to remove things you might be able to see but can't reach. In some situations at least. Not this one

[@Jacob1986]

They probably didnt know it was there.

[@ddk80]

I dropped a toothbrush down the throttle body while cleaning it a couple of years back. After panicking for a few minutes, I remembered I had a flexible shop vac attachment made for dryer vents and disaster averted.

[@hamzashaher]

If I was the customer I would have opted for a used HVAC box from a local dismantler or on eBay. If it was my own car I'd go to the junkyard and pull one myself. Regardless this is 1 of those parts that can be rebuilt with new motors and evaporators so no need to put in a brand new part.

[@massemj1]

Toyota should engineer those with a grate to prevent that from happening.

[@nyccollin]

So every vent and opening in the car should have a screen to prevent the 1 in 100,000 people that would have this issue?

[@massemj1]

@@nyccollin Don't be stupid, not every grate, just one to protect the 2500 intake

[@petediamond7263]

Train your child so they don't grow up to be assholes!

[@Misiracaltudamecekas-qw8xo]

Do You really want Mr.Ahmet to go out of his business one day ?

[@GixxerRider1991]

Why? Manufacturers make a lot of money off of these repairs. All people have to do is keep their cars clean and their kids in the back seat until they're old enough to know not to put candy in the vents. If I were them I wouldn't change a thing. Let lazy and careless people reap what they sow.

[@ralfnjan]

If that candy stuck in the hvac, what a choking hazard for aperson, regardless of age. I had a kid on my school bus choke on a hard candy once. Cleared, but scared me good.

[@scottalston8670]

I guess another reason why I don’t let people eat in car besides the smell and fries between seats!

[@nyccollin]

Exactly. Nobody should ever eat in a car.

[@jordanlaine7412]

@@nyccollin Said no one who takes long road trips.

[@AWMJoeyjoejoe]

​@@jordanlaine7412I always take my battery powered vacuum cleaner on road trips to clean up the crumbs. Can't abide food residue in my car!

[@GixxerRider1991]

@Jordanlaine7412 Why not just sit down somewhere and eat? You can't be in that much of a hurry.

[@aoksys31]

Before using any glue on plastic parts, read the instructions provided by the glue manufacturer, then test it on something different than your broken part. Many glues cannot be used on various plastics and many have solvents that can make plastics melt, or become brittle or otherwise destroy whatever you're trying to fix as you otherwise can't replace the small parts of the assembly. Don't be a dolt and think you are exempt from the warnings.

[@bikeman1969]

I would ask u to lock it in defrost mode and reinstall it.

[@awesomusmaximus3766]

I'd get the part made by CNC if it looks too weak that's a design flaw

[@sand0077]

Good ol' JB Weld to the rescue and some metal pins for reinforcement. A metal mesh screen applied to vent outlets to help prevent a reoccurrence of what happened.

[@markg999]

I would just put a used one you could use for parts and give you a pass on any warranty for your work. That car depending on mileage might be worth 5k at most. Repairs likely $3k+ 😮

[@ericbauer1937]

Who would 'pull' a used one for you?

[@markg999]

@ericbauer1937 Should be able buy it online already pulled.

[@aam9216]

Instead of a word or two of encouragement, why don't you get a part from the junkyard that fixes the situation? Amazing how you went immediately to buy a new part!

[@21Piloteer]

What happens when junkyard sends the wrong part? Or a broken part? Maybe the customer wants better than a 30-day or 90-day warranty? 😂

[@aam9216]

@21Piloteer those are not the kind of parts that fail that easily. That's why the junkyards are full of them. They regularly outlive the cars they're in. With a little effort more than words of encouragement and a pointless youtube video he could've saved his customer a thousand dollars at least

[@postcode-x]

@@aam9216 You are assuming the part is sitting on some shelf, ready to go. Junkyards don’t remove parts for you; someone has to do that job, and you don’t even have a guarantee that it will work.

[@donaldgaudette4252]

your reviews and honesty are truly refreshing.

[@jaymeez]

Pick n Pull my boy

[@alsheremeta]

That's where I would be headed....

[@theoriginaljimmykicker]

@@alsheremetame too.

[@Peter-ob5xo]

This is why South Main Auto says they don’t take customers who drive in from far away … complications like parts delays get ugly when people are traveling and are having to pay for hotels, etc.

[@rightlanehog3151]

AMD, This is my favorite generation of RAV4, I thought the offending candy would be at least the size of a 🍭. Lets hope the owners get another 18 years of service from their car to make up for the expense and inconvenience of this repair. 🤞🤞

[@Nozinbonsai]

Bit more expensive than toast in your vhs.